Chocolate sirup



Patented Sept. 17, 1935" CHOCOLATE SlIRlUP David E. lllinn, La Grange,llL, assignor to international Patents Development Company, Wilmington,Met, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application Augnstli, 1934,Serial No. 738,592

22 Claims.

This invention relates to the stabilizing of chocolate sirups, such asare used at soda fountains and elsewhere, to prevent the Stratificationof the sirup, that is the separation of the suspended ingredientsaccording to their specific gravities, which ordinarily takes placeafter the sirup has stood for a while. The invention also relates tostabilizing compounds whether used for chocolate sirups or otherwise.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a method ofcompounding chocolate sirups so as to bring about effectivestabilization; that is so as to check the tendency, in particular, ofthe chocolate fibresto subside, and the fats of the chocolate to rise inthe sugar solution.

Another object of, the invention is to provide a new stabilizingcompound for use in stabilizing chocolate sirups, according to themethod to be hereinafter described, and also for stabilizing otherchocolate suspensions such as milk and chocolate beverages. The compoundherein described and claimed was originaly'disclosed in, andsubsequently divided out of, a copending application of the presentapplicant, Serial No. 653,168 filed January 20, 1933, for Milk andchocolate suspensions. (Patented as No. 1,989,758, Feb. 5, 1935.)

Chocolate sirups consist usually of water, sugar and chocolate, andcontain, also, ordinarily but not necessarily, certain condiments andflavoring extracts such as salt and vanilla. are usually quite viscousdue to their large sugar content. Despite their viscosity, however, ifordinary chocolate, fountain sirups are allowed to stand withoutoccasional stirring the chocolate fibres will, to a considerable extentat least, sink to the bottom of the vessel, and the fats rise to thetop. 1

According to the present invention, the stability and relativepermanence of the suspension is brought about by incorporating thechocolate and the sugar in a protective colloidal suspension consistingof water and swelled starch and containing also, preferably, a smallamount of agaragar or equivalent water dispersible animal or vegetablegum. It is possible to use starch alone, in this connection, but in thatcase considerably larger quantities must be used, much larger, that is,than the aggregate quantities of starch and agar-agar prescribed for thepreferred procedure; and this is undesirable because of the possibilitythat the sirup will taste of the starch. Moreover, even with the use oflarger quantities of starch, the stabilizing effect will not be as greatas that obtainable if a very small amount These sirups of agar-agar ismixed with the starch. The swelled starch appears to act as a protectivecolloid preventing the separation of the chocolate fibres and fats. Theagar-agar seems to act as a protective colloid preventing the starchpar- 5 ticles from coalescing and being precipitated from thesuspension. The agar-agar, however, does not seem to act effectively asa protective colloid in respect particularly to the fats in thechocolate, and hence it is not desirable to use agar-agar alone. Thesephenomena are probably electrical in character. Apparently theprotective colloids carry charges of the same sign as the particles tobe kept'in suspension, and, by intervention between such particlesprevent the same from coalescing and, because of the increaseddifference of gravity, falling or rising in the liquid medium in whichthey are suspended.

Whether this theory is correct or not, the facts as to the stabilizingeffect of starch and agaragar in suspension have been demonstrated byrepeated experiments.

The starch (with its agar-agar content) is first cooked, but preferably,at relatively low temperatures so as to avoid giving the sirup anycooked starch flavor. If the starch contains even a small amount ofagar-agar, it is unnecessary to cook at high temperatures in order toobtain a protective colloidal suspension adequate for stabilizing thesirup.

The chocolate is then introduced into the starch paste, and its fibresand starch particles swelled under action of heat and in the presence ofwater. It is feasible, but less desirable to mix together the starch,water and chocolate and cook them by one operation.

Finally the sugar is added and dissolved with continued heating andagitation.

The reason for adding the sugar last is to obviate the effect of theosmotic pressure of the sugar solution on the colloidal particles insuspension, particularly the effect of osmotic pressure on the starchparticles. If the starch were added to a water solution of sugar, andthe mixture cooked, the osmotic pressure of the solution would preventthe proper swelling of the starch.

It is possible, however, to introduce the choc-. olate into the mixtureafter the sugar has been added and dissolved if the protective colloidalsuspension provided by the swelled starch has been prepared before thesugar is added. However, it is preferable to introduce the chocolatebefore the. sugar is added.

The word chocolate as used herein is intended to include cocoa as wellas chocolate in the strict sense of the term. The term sugar is intendedto include sucrose, dextrose or other suitable sugar, together withmixtures of such sugars. The invention contemplates the use of cornstarch particularly, but it is possible to use other starches such aswheat starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, although corn starch ispreferred. In place of agar-agar one may use any animal or vegetable gumthat is dispersible in water, such as gelatin, gum arabic, gumtragacanth and pectins, such as Irish moss, citrus pectin and applepectin. These substances are termed collectively stabilizing gums.Experience shows, however, that agar-agar is to be preferred to any ofthe other gums mentioned above.

To give 'a typical example of a chocolate sirup made in accordance withthis invention, it may consist of the following substances andproportions substantially as follows:

Cane sugar pounds 18.75 Cerelose (high purity dextrose) do 37. 5 Cocoado 12. 5 Water do 43. 0 Salt ounces 4 Vanilla extract pint 1 Stabilizingagent consisting of corn starch and 1.75% agar-agar by weight of thestarch on dry substance basis (about 0.9% by weight of the furnishedsirup) pound- 1 The quantities of sugar and chocolate may vary veryconsiderably in proportion to the amount of water. The stabilizing agent(starch and agaragar) may vary from 0.7 to 1.2% by weight of thefinished sirup including water. The amount of agar-agar in thestabilizing agent may vary from 1.0% to 10.0% by weight of the starch ondry substance basis.

The preferred method of compounding the sirup is as follows:

A smooth paste is made of the starch and agar-agar compound with a smallamount of water. The rest of the water is then added and the tempe atureraised to a point below the boiling point, preferably to about 205Fahrenheit. The heating is continued with constant agitation for aboutten minutes. This treatment converts the starch into a thin paste andcompletely dissolves the agar-agar. Experience shows that the bestresults are obtained if the starch is powdered and the agar-agar groundfinely enough so that it will pass through a screen having sixty orpreferably eighty meshes to the linear inch. The ground agar-agar ismixed with the starch so as to be as evenly distributed therein aspossible.

The chocolate is then added. Preferably a smooth chocolate paste is madeby removing some of the starch paste from the batch. The chocolate pasteis then mixed into the batch with continued heating and agitation.

The sugars are then added and dissolved with continued heating andagitation. If salt is used, it is added next, and thereafter thevanilla, the latter preferably after the batch has been cooled somewhat.

The above ingredients in the quantities indicated will make about 10gallons of finished sirup.

The preparing of the stabilizing agent and the compounding of the sirupmay be performed as separate operations at different times and places.The stabilizing agent may be made and sold, in

fact, as a separate article of commerce for use in manufacturing thefountain sirups, according to the process of this application, or foruse in the manufacture of other chocolate suspensions, such, forexample, as milk and chocolate beverages. If the compound is destinedfor the manufacture of a milk and chocolate beverage, it is possible,and will sometimes. serve the convenience of the manufacturer of thebeverage, to incorporate the sugar to be used in the beverage with thestarch and agar-agar compound. If the compound is to be used for achocolate sirup containing a large amount of sugar, the sugar should notbe mixed with the stabilizing compound but added after the stabilizingcompound has been pasted, for the reasons above set forth.

In chocolate milk beverages the amount of sugar is so small that thefactor of osmotic pressure is negligible.

It is the intention to cover by patent all modifications of the abovedescribed method and products within the scope of the hereto appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. Method of making a stable chocolate sirup which comprisesincorporating the ingredients of the sirup in a previously formedprotective colloidal suspension containing swelled starch.

2. Method of making a stable chocolate sirup which comprisesincorporating the ingredients of g the sirup in a protective colloidalsuspension containing swelled starch and a small quantity of a waterdispersible gum.

3. Method of making a stable chocolate sirup which comprisesincorporating the ingredients of the sirup in a protective colloidalsuspension containing swelled starch and a small quantity of agar-agar.

4. Method of making a stable chocolate sirup which comprisesincorporating the ingredients of the sirup in a protective colloidalsuspension containing swelled starch and agar-agar in quantity from 1.0%to 10.0% by weight of the starch on dry substance basis.

5. Method of making a stable chocolate sirup which comprisesincorporating the ingredients of the sirup in a protective colloidalsuspension containing swelled starch and about 1.8% agar-agar by weightof the starch on dry substance basis.

6. Method of making a stable chocolate sirup 7. Method of making astable chocolate sirup which comprises incorporating the ingredients ofthe sirup in a protective colloidal suspension consisting of swelledstarch and agar-agar in which the proportion of agar-agar is from 1.0%to 10.0% by weight of the starch on dry substance basis.

8. Method of making a stable chocolate sirup which comprisesincorporating the ingredients of the sirup in a previously formedprotective colloidal suspension containing starch swelled by cooking attemperatures below the boiling point.

9. Method of making a stable chocolate sirup which comprisesincorporating the ingredients of the sirup in a previously formedprotective colloidal suspension containing starch swelled by cooking ata temperature of about 205 Fahrenheit.

10. Method of making a stable chocolate sirup which comprises heatingstarch in water to form a protective colloidal suspension andincorporating in such suspension, with continued heating,

' chocolate and sugar.

11. Method of making a stable chocolate sirup which comprises heatingstarch in water to form a protective colloidal suspension andincorporating in such suspension, with continued heating, firstchocolate and thereafter sugar.

12. Method of making a stable chocolafte sirup which comprises heatingstarch in water to form a protective colloidal suspension andincorporating chocolate and sugar in such suspension with continuedheating at a temperature below the boiling point.

13. Method of making a stable chocolate sirup which comprises heating inwater starch and a small quantity of a water dispersible gum to form aprotective colloidal suspension and incorporating in such a suspension,by agitation with continued heating, chocolate and sugar.

14. Method of making a stable chocolate sirup which comprises heating inwater starch and a small quantity of agar-agar to form a protectivecolloidal suspension and incorporating in such suspension, by agitationwith continued heating, chocolate and sugar.

15. A stable chocolate sirup containing, as a. protective colloid,swelled starch and a small quantity of a water dispersible gum.

16. A stable chocolate sirup containing, as a protective colloid,swelled starch and a small quantity of agar-agar.

17. A stable chocolate .sirup containing as a protective colloid from0.7% to 1.2% by weight I agar, in which the proportion of agar-agar tostarch is from 1.0% to 10.0% by weight of the starch on dry substancebasis.

18. A stabilizing agent for making chocolate suspensions consisting ofpowdered starch with which is intimately mixed, with relatively uniformdistribution, a small quantity of finely ground stabilizing gum.

19. A stabilizing agent for making chocolate suspensions consisting ofpowdered starch with which is intimately mixed, with relatively uniformdistribution, a small quantity of finely ground stabilizing gum inquantity from 1% to 10%, by weight of the starch on dry substance basis.

20. A stabilizing agent for making chocolate suspensions consisting ofstarch with which is intimately mixed, with substantially uniformdistribution, a small quantity of agar-agar.

21. A stabilizing agent for making chocolate suspensions consisting ofstarch with which is intimately mixed, with substantially uniformdistribution, a small quantity of agar-agar finely enough ground to passthrough a screen having sixty mesh to the linear inch.

22. A stabilizing agent for making chocolate suspensions consisting ofpowdered corn starch with which is intimately mixed, with substantiallyuniform distribution, from 1% to 10%, by weight of the starch on drysubstance basis of agar-agar finely enough ground to pass through ascreen having sixty mesh to the linear inch.

DAVID 'E. LINN.

